RESTAURANTE SALTXIPI Chef Jon Ortega is at the stove, grilling a delightful selection of gambas, hake, monkfish, turbot, and T-bone steaks. Known for its famous spider crabs, which are kept in the basement, this restaurant has become a popular spot for trendy thirty-somethings. Be on the lookout for the upcoming Ibiza-style chill-out area! The food is traditional, so if you order turbot or red sea bream, you get that —no extras, expertly cooked. The menu is quite spider crab

BODEGUITA 1999 This was our second visit to this restaurant, just off the seafront in Alicante City. They specialise in anchovies and different cuts of steak. Chuletón, entrecot, solomillo, and many more, so make your choice. Antxoas del Cantabrico (anchovies from Cantabria). Txuleton en la mesa with fries and piquillo peppers. Pimientos del piquillo confitados. Txuleton a la plancha on the second visit. With a tremendous fresh salad. Also available are staples like Croquetas

RESTAURANTE ELKANO One Michelin Star Getaria is the picture-postcard Basque Country fishing village that produced designer Cristóbal Balenciaga, Plácido Domingo’s mother, and Juan Sebastián Elcano, the first mariner to circumnavigate the globe. Getaria is a fishing port. You can wander down the old streets to the harbour. Walking past various shops selling their wares. There are a couple of lovely beaches in and around the town. Set on a crossroads above the harbour of G

JOSÉ TAPAS & SHERRY BAR Situated on a corner of the now-trendy Bermondsey Street, this cosy little tapas bar serves excellent, authentic tapas. Opened by José Pizarro with his eponymous restaurant, Pizarro, further up Bermondsey Street on the same side of the road. José is a buzzing spot for an atmospheric lunch or dinner. This is not a sit-down restaurant but a Spanish bar where you go to have a drink and some tapas, standing or sitting on stools around a barrel for a tabl

O SOLAR DOS LEITOES This hidden restaurant is located on the outskirts of Monsanto and serves delicious traditional Portuguese cuisine, including some of the best grilled fish in Lisbon. This family business has been operating for three generations and is located in a remote, run-down residential area in Buraca. It’s not easy to find and is definitely off the tourist track. Even taxis with GPS often struggle to locate it! Don't let this discourage you. You'll be dropped off a

elBulli Three Michelin Stars This is an old one from 2009, but it's good to look back sometimes, especially when the restaurant is no longer open. This review is from the world-renowned elBulli, which closed in 2011 and was run by Catalan chef Ferran Adriá. Restaurant Magazine judged elBulli Number One on its Top 50 list of the world's best restaurants for a record five times: in 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009. In 2022, the restaurant was voted number one in the best of th

CONDUMÍO GASTROBARr We went to Villena, a town in inland Alicante, to a restaurant we had not been to before, with our friend Howard Goldsmith of Alicante Sunshine Villas. When you arrive at Condumio Gastrobar in Villena, you will find it hidden at the side of an industrial estate. You can quickly drive past and around it several times. Do not, under any circumstances, miss out on this excellent restaurant. It is aesthetically beautiful and comfortable, with a chef from La

EL CHIRINGUITO CALA GRACIONETA UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2025 This is another place taken over by Grupo Mambo in recent years, so it’s no longer the place it used to be. Expect much higher prices if you go. It is still a stunning spot and venue if it suits your pocket. A rough guide to the price list. €5 Croquetas each €49 Pulpo (octopus, small leg) €46 Solomillo (no sides) €25 Padron peppers €14 Patatas fritas €10 Water Wine (all expensive) PREVIOUS VISITS From Sant Antoni de Por

ASADOR CAN PILOT We returned to Restaurante Asador Can Pilot, an old favourite in the small inland village of Sant Rafel de sa Creu (San Rafael). Since 1989, it has been an excellent place for traditional Spanish food, especially BBQ meat. The traditional, rustic restaurant is always busy, and sometimes you may have to wait in the vibrant bar. There is a large BBQ grill in one corner of the room. The room is furnished with traditional Ibicencan wooden tables and chairs. We ha

HOTEL NIZA Eastbourne hotels could learn much from Hotel Niza. It boasts the desirable seafront location and the classic facade that every charming hotel needs. The bedrooms are bright, spacious, and stylish in a classic way. The front rooms offer views of the promenade and the beautiful Playa de la Concha. The view to the right takes you to parte vieja (old town) and the harbour. It is a beautiful place to sit and watch the world pass by while enjoying a glass of Basque win